As an article having a fine concavo-convex structure on its surface, an optical element such as an antireflection member or a wire-grid polarizer has been known.
As a process for producing an article having a fine concavo-convex structure on its structure, for example, a method (so-called nanoimprinting technology) of applying a photocurable composition to the surface of a substrate, applying light to the photocurable composition in a state where a mold having a reverse structure of the fine concavo-convex structure on its surface is pressed against the photocurable composition to cure the photocurable composition thereby to obtain an article having a concavo-convex layer having a fine concavo-convex structure on its surface formed on the substrate has been known.
Depending on the application of an article having a fine concavo-convex structure on its surface, the substrate is required to be a transparent substrate such as a glass plate.
As a process for producing a wire-grid polarizer employing a glass plate as the substrate, the following process has been known.
(1) A process comprising a step of coating the surface of a glass plate (quartz) with a photocurable composition, a step of pressing a mold having a plurality of grooves on its surface against the photocurable composition, a step of applying light to the photocurable composition in a state where a mold is pressed against the photocurable composition to cure the photocurable composition, to form a concavo-convex layer having a plurality of ridges corresponding to the grooves of the mold on its surface on the glass plate, a step of separating the mold from the concavo-convex layer, and a step of forming a metal layer on the ridges of the concavo-convex layer (Patent Document 1).